Mr. Speaker, it is amazing how a member can be a critic and never read a piece of legislation himself.
First, the Indian Act is very much a paternalistic, prescriptive piece of legislation.
Bill C-7 is an enabling piece of legislation that would do three things. It would allow a code for electoral purposes. It would allow the Financial Administration Act. It would allow for administration as a code to allow first nations to improve their fundamentals of governance with the idea of allowing first nations to develop that on their own, using their traditions and their cultures. That is very different from what has been described by the member.